1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, there has been proposed a connector assembly 901 comprised of a male connector 910 and a female connector 920 (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2012-124040).
The female connector 920 includes a rectangular board body 928, an insulating film 929 provided on the board body 928, and a plurality of conductor circuits 922 and a pair of annular pads 926 provided on the insulating film 929.
The board body 928 is formed with a plurality of through holes 924, a pair of holes 925C, and a pair of holes 927. Each of the through holes 924, the holes 925C, and the holes 927 is a hole extending through the board body 928. The holes 927 are arranged at diagonally opposite locations on the board body 928, respectively.
The whole surface of one side of the board body 928 and part of the surface of the other side of the same are covered with the insulating film 929, and most of the surface of the other side of the board body 928 is exposed to the outside. Therefore, one opening of each through hole 924, one opening of each hole 925C, and one opening of each hole 927 are covered with the insulating film 929, and the other opening of each through hole 924, the other opening of each hole 925C, and the other opening of each hole 927 are open to the outside.
A cross-shaped pad 922A located at one end of each conductor circuit 922 and the one opening of each through hole 924 are opposed to each other with the insulating film 929 therebetween. The cross-shaped pad 922A and a portion of the insulating film 929 opposed to the cross-shaped pad 922A are formed with a cross-shaped slit 923 communicating with the through hole 924. The holes 925C are located at opposite end portions of the board body 928 in a longitudinal direction of the board body 928, and the holes 927 are located in the vicinity of the holes 925C, respectively. Each annular pad 926 and the one opening of each hole 925C associated therewith are opposed to each other with the insulating film 929 therebetween. The annular pad 926 and a portion of the insulating film 929 opposed to the annular pad 926 are formed with a substantially cross-shaped slit 925A communicating with the hole 925C. A central portion of the slit 925A forms a circular opening 925B.
The male connector 910 includes a rectangular base board 911, a plurality of conductor circuits 912 and a pair of conductor circuits 918 provided on the base board 911, a columnar bump 913 provided on an annular pad 912A located at one end of each conductor circuit 912, a first guide protrusion 915 provided on an annular pad 918A located at an intermediate portion of each conductor circuit 918, and a second guide protrusion 917 provided in the vicinity of the first guide protrusion 915. The first guide protrusions 915 are located at opposite end portions of the base board 911 in a longitudinal direction of the base board 911. The pair of first guide protrusions 915 each have a neck portion 915A and a mushroom cap-shaped head portion 915B (see FIG. 18). The pair of second guide protrusions 917 are disposed at diagonally opposite locations on the base board 911. Each second guide protrusion 917 is equal in protrusion height to each columnar bump 913. Each first guide protrusion 915 is larger in protrusion height than each second guide protrusion 917.
To connect the male connector 910 and the female connector 920, first, a front surface 911A of the male connector 910 and a front surface 921A of the female connector 920 are set such that they are opposed to each other. At this time, the pair of first guide protrusions 915 and the pair of annular pads 926 are set such that they are opposed to each other. Then, the female connector 920 is pressed against the male connector 910. At this time, first, the first guide protrusions 915 are inserted into the holes 925C through the slits 925A, respectively. Next, the second guide protrusions 917 are inserted into the holes 927 through the slits 927A, respectively, and the columnar bumps 913 are inserted into the through holes 924 through the cross-shaped slits 923, respectively. As a result, the cross-shaped pads 922A of the female connector 920 are brought into contact with the columnar bumps 913 of the male connector 910 and the annular pads 912A provided thereon, whereby the conductor circuits 922 and the conductor circuits 912 are electrically, respectively.
In the above-described connector assembly 901, to connect the male connector 910 and the female connector 920 to each other, first, it is necessary to set the front surface 911A of the male connector 910 and the front surface 921A of the female connector 920 such that they are opposed to each other, and then insert the first guide protrusions 915 into the holes 925C, respectively. However, a reverse side 921B of the female connector 920 is mounted on an object to be connected, such as a circuit board, not shown, and hence it is not easy to position the first guide protrusions 915 and the holes 925C (annular pads 926), which results in lowered workability.
Further, a fairly large insertion force is required to insert the first guide protrusions 915 into the holes 925C and then further insert the second guide protrusions 917 into the holes 927 and at the same time the columnar bumps 913 into the through holes 924 (cross-shaped pads 922A). Therefore, during operation for connecting the male connector 910 and the female connector 920 to each other, the male connector 910 and the female connector 920 are bent, and the circuit board on which the male connector 910 is mounted and the circuit board on which the female connector 920 is mounted are bent, which results in lowered workability.